Help - how to assemble magazine catch on Vz 52/57

[stickhunter]

Hi all,

Well, I've made the rookie mistake... I took apart the trigger group on my Vz 52/57 without taking detailed pictures beforehand, and now I'm stuck trying to figure out how to the magazine catch spring is oriented.

I found this picture:

However, when I install the spring as it indicates, with the short straight end pointing up and the long hooked end behind the trigger housing, the magazine catch lies straight up-and-down vertically instead of having spring tension pushing the top part out to engage the magazine.

I've tried rotating the spring, but things just don't seem to be fitting and I don't want to force anything together without being sure it's in the right position.

So, is there any chance someone has a closeup photo from the inside of the trigger group, which shows how the magazine catch and spring are oriented? Or is it possible to explain in writing how the two pieces go back together?

Thanks from a very emabarrassed gunnut!

PS In writing this, I realize that the picture could actually be interpreted differently --- that the spring has the long hooked end pointing up. That would make more sense since the short straight end would be bearing against the top of the catch and pushing it out. I'm pretty sure I tried this and got stuck on where the long end should go.

 

[Innercity]

I just took about 10 pics and this was the best one.

You can see the short end of the spring to the right of the coils.

The pic was taken in the same direction as the screwdriver is pointing.

Crappy pic but hopefully it helps.

 

[Innercity]

The pic you posted appears to me to be correct.

 

[stickhunter]

Crappy pic but hopefully it helps.

Thanks very much for the picture... it confirms where I figured the short end had to be. Can you tell me where the long end is situated? Is it lying flat along the inside of the bottom of the trigger frame or is part of it actually exposed in the gap between the trigger and frame? In other words, if you lift up the trigger guard, can you see any part of the spring?

Here's how I think it would be located; however, there's a lot of spring force to overcome to get it into this orientation, and trying to do that while aligning the pin is a pain:

 

[Innercity]

I allready put the rifle back together but i belive your MSpaint is the correct orientation, but the spring goes on the other smaller pin under the trigger guard.

Pm me if you don't get it back together as I'm off to bed and I'll pull the rifle apart again tomorrow after work.

 

[stickhunter]

I allready put the rifle back together but i belive your MSpaint is the correct orientation, but the spring goes on the other smaller pin under the trigger guard.

Pm me if you don't get it back together as I'm off to bed and I'll pull the rifle apart again tomorrow after work.

Thanks again for you help... I think I finally got it into place:

Once the the catch was in place, it took me another 10 minutes to get the rest of the trigger group assembled (I'd already done it once prior to discovering the issue with the magazine catch, so had developed some techniques). Function checks passed, and the rest of the rifle is now back together, clean, and ready for the next time at the range

 

[Innercity]

Glad i could help!